EU offers €138m in humanitarian funding for Lake Chad region

The European Commission has announced a new funding of 138 million combining humanitarian and development assistance for vulnerable communities in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

This funding is part of an overall EU aid package for the region worth 232 million.

The new aid package was announced on Monday at the High Level Conference on the Lake Chad Region in Berlin, Germany, said a statement from the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

The humanitarian funding would be shared among the four countries of the region. Nigeria will get 47 million, Niger 15 million, while Chad and Cameroon will share 11.8 million and 15.1 million respectively.

Out of this funding, 58.75 million was announced in July 2018 as part of humanitarian assistance provided by the EU to the Sahel countries, the statement added.

The EU said the new humanitarian assistance would cover the acute food and nutrition needs as well as supporting protection activities, access to basic health care and shelter.

The statement quoted the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides as saying “The disastrous effects of armed conflict and violence in the Lake Chad basin have had a serious impact in an area already plagued by poverty and the extreme effects of climate change.

“The EU is committed to continue to help the most vulnerable. Today we are stepping up our humanitarian and development assistance. What is crucial is for all parties to the conflict to ensure full access throughout the region so our aid can reach those in need.”

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said, “We will also boost some of our existing programmes in North East Nigeria by strengthening girls’ education and reintegration efforts, as well as health and nutrition services.”